Keeping Your Trees HealthyKeeping Your Trees Healthy

If your mother recently passed away and you plan on selling her home and would like to commemorate your mother by transplanting a small evergreen that is growing on her property, the following tips will teach you how to safely uproot the tree and move it to the land that you own. After replanting the evergreen, add a nameplate to the property in front of the tree and add a simple border around the plate and tree trunk to highlight the new additions.

Supplies Needed

• hoe
• metal spade
• plastic sheeting
• cart
• watering can
• cotton or burlap fabric
• thick rope
• nameplate
• pavers
• sprinkler or water hose​

Uproot The Tree

Lay a piece of plastic sheeting on top of a utility cart. Move the cart next to the tree. Use a hoe to break up clumps of soil that are near the bottom of the trunk. Move the hoe around the perimeter of the tree's base to loosen packed soil.

Dig a hole all the way around the base of the tree. Take your time to remove the dirt from the ground and visually inspect the hole's interior to make sure that you do not strike the roots with the tip of the shovel. After you have uncovered most of the roots, hold the tree's trunk as you lift the base of the tree from the ground. Lay the tree across the cart.

Prepare To Transport The Tree

If your home is located a far distance from your mother's home, keeping the evergreen's root system moist while the tree is being transported will assist with maintaining the health of the tree. Use a watering can to sprinkle water across the length and width of the root system.

Wrap a few layers of cotton or burlap around the roots to prevent the roots from drying while the tree is in transit. Secure the cotton or burlap by tying pieces of rope around the fabric. Push the cart next to the vehicle that you will be using to transport the tree. A truck or a vehicle with plenty of cargo space will be needed.

Add A Nameplate And Border

After arriving to your property, choose a sunny area to plant the tree. Rake the ground before digging a hole. Ask a family member or neighbor to help you place the tree in the hole. Have the other person hold onto the tree's trunk while you fill the hole with dirt. Flatten the dirt that surrounds the tree and water the tree. Purchase a nameplate that has your mother's name and a brief statement inscribed in it. Press the nameplate into the dirt that is right next to the tree. Use pavers to create a square-shaped border around the tree's trunk and the nameplate. 

This is a complicated process, so if you feel you cannot do this on your own, it is best to hire a tree removal service, such as Good Morrow, to help you. As you look for a tree removal service in your area, ask the companies if they have experience with tree transplanting.